The Battle of Yalu River took place from April 30 to May 1, 1904, and was the first major land battle during the Russo-Japanese War. Jump to: navigation, search Greater Manchuria, Russian (outer) Manchuria is region to upper right in lighter Red; Liaodong Peninsula is the wedge extending into the Yellow Sea The Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) was an extremely bloody conflict that grew out of the rival imperialist ambitions of Russia and Japan... Jump to: navigation, search April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ... Jump to: navigation, search May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1904 is a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Kuroki Tamemoto (黒木為楨 Kuroki Tamemoto; 1844-?) was a Japanese general. ... Alexei Nikolayevich Kuropatkin (1848-1921) was a Russian general. ... Jump to: navigation, search Greater Manchuria, Russian (outer) Manchuria is region to upper right in lighter Red; Liaodong Peninsula is the wedge extending into the Yellow Sea The Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) was an extremely bloody conflict that grew out of the rival imperialist ambitions of Russia and Japan... The Battle of Port Arthur (February 9, 1904) was the opening battle of the Russo-Japanese War. ... The battle of Dalian took place on May 30, 1904, during the Japanese forces under the command of general Hikato. ... The Battle of the Yellow Sea was the first main naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, being fought on August 10, 1904. ... The Battle of the Japanese Sea was a minor naval enagement during the Russo-Japanese War. ... The Siege of Port Arthur (1 August 1904-2 January 1905), the Russian deepwater port and naval base at the tip of the Liaotung Peninsula (See Map below the Battlebox) in Manchuria was one of the longest and most vicious battles during the Russo-Japanese War. ... The Battle of the Yellow Sea was the first main naval engagement of the Russo-Japanese War, being fought on August 10, 1904. ... The Battle of Liaoyang (August 24, 1904 - September 4, 1904) was one of the major battles of the Russo-Japanese War. ... Battle of Sha-ho River Conflict Russo-Japanese War Date February 20 to March 10, 1905 Place Near Sha-ho River Result Draw The Battle of Sha-ho River was a battle of the Russo-Japanese War fought along a 37-mile front centered at Sha-ho on the Mukden... Battle of Sandepu Conflict Russo-Japanese War Date January 25 and January 26, 1905 Place Near Mukden in Manchuria Result Draw The Battle of Sandepu, (also known as the Battle of Heikoutai) was a major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War. ... The Battle of Mukden was the last major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War, fought from February 20 to March 10, Japan and Russia near Mukden in Manchuria. ... The Battle of Tsushima (Japanese: 対馬海戦), commonly known as the Sea of Japan Naval Battle (Japanese: 日本海海戦) in Japan, was the last and most decisive sea battle of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. ... Jump to: navigation, search April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ... Jump to: navigation, search May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1904 is a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search Greater Manchuria, Russian (outer) Manchuria is region to upper right in lighter Red; Liaodong Peninsula is the wedge extending into the Yellow Sea The Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) was an extremely bloody conflict that grew out of the rival imperialist ambitions of Russia and Japan...

The Battle of Yalu River was fought near Wiju on the lower reaches of the Yalu River,the dividing line between Korea and China. The Russian commander in the Far East, General Alexei Kuropatkin was aware that the Japanese were advancing from their forward army bases at Chemulpo (Inchon) to advance north and cross the river to invade Manchuria. Kuropatkin dispatched the Eastern Detatchment under the command of Lieutenant-General M.I.Zasulitch with 15,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry and some 60 artillery pieces to fight a delaying action. However, General Zasulitch did not hold his opponent in a very high regard and was content to ignore Kuropatkin's phased withdrawal order (confirmed by Kuropatkin's chiif of staff, General V.V. Sakarov). This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Italian cavalry officers practice their horsemanship in 1904 outside Rome. ... Jump to: navigation, search Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ...

The advancing Japanese 1st Army, commanded by Major-General Baron Tamesada Kuroki, which consisted of three divisions; the 2nd, the 12th, and the Guards, altogether, over 40,000 men. First Army knew from the forward scouts the exact location of the Russians because no effort was made to conceal the Russian positions.

The prelude to the major action took place on the night of April 25-26, 1904 when the Guards Division seized two islands in the Yalu River. The forward Russian observation post was withdrawn to the main Russian lines on the north shore. The Japanese continued to gather intelligence on the Russian positions, their scouts disguising themselves as Korean fishermen, the Russians none the wiser.

In full view of Russian positions, the Japanese began constructing a causeway. This bridge across the Yalu was almost immediately brought under fire by two Russian batteries. With the Russians so engaged, the Japanese prepared nine other bridges that could quickly be moved into position for a rapid assault across the river.

One of the items the Japanese were bringing with them would soon rain holy hell on the Russians. . .4.7 inch howitzers, customed made at the infamous German arsenal at Krupps. This was an exercise that apparently was beyond the Russian comprehension. They might have known that the Japanese had acquired the guns. Never in their wildest dreams (or worst nightmare, as the case turned out to be) could have they envisioned that the Japanese could have brought them to the Yalu.

Once the islands midstream were secured, Kuroki ordered a feint on the lower Yalu when Japanese gunboats engaged Cossack detatchments at the mouth of river . This had the effect of convincing General Zasulitch that the main Japanese attack would fall on the vincinity of the town of Antung. Here, the Eastern Detachment was concentrated. It allowed for Kuroki to manuever against the weak Russian left, anchored on the Ai River, a feeder stream into the Yalu.

While the Japanese were still involved with the feint against the Russian right, Kuroki began to deploy elements of the 12th Division across the Yalu at a fordable point at Su-ku-chin. The Russians were able to observe these movements with trepidation. The on-scene commander informed Zasulitch that the enemy was about to assault the position in force and his position was in danger of being flanked. The Eastern Detachment commander received the information with continued indifference and still ignored Kuropatkin's order to merely delay while keeping the lines of communication open. Zasulitch was convinced that the hammer would fall at Antung and that is where he, the bulk of his force and his reserves would remain. Retreat was not an option.

The Japanese began their main attack in the early morning hours of April 27th. By 0300, the balance of the 12th Division was across the river at Su-Ku-chin and was advancing in three columns. Zasulitch, still convinced that this was the feint redeployed only a single battalion and four addional guns.

With the 12th Division advancing on the 1st Army right Guards Division was moving into postion in the center. By 0400, the artillery of the Guards Division was placed and sighted on the exposed Russian lines while maintaining their placements concealed. The 2nd Division took its position on 1st Army's left, in place to advance on the newly erected causways leading from the town of Wiju.

As the Japanese began to make their way forward, they drew fire from two Russian batteries. At that monment the entire Japanese line exploded as over 90 guns and howitzers opened up on the exposed Russians. Russian counterbattery fire was also ineffective and was supressed just as quickly.

In light of these developments, Zasulitch was encouraged to pull back to a more defensible position. The general would not concede. He as looking to win, sending a message to the Tsar back in St. Petersburg informing his emperor that victory was all but his. Far from retreating to better defensive terrain, Zasulitch ordered the Detachment to hold in place. The results were predictable.

First Army, for its part,

The Russians suffered about 3,000 casualties during the night-long battle including about 1,400 killed in action and 600 prisoners. The Japanese losses were recorded at only 1,000 killed, wounded or missing, although it is thought that the total Japanese casualties were deliberately deflated for propaganda purposes.

The victory of a small but rising Asian army over a European army seriously damaged Russian prestige and raised Japanese morale for further advances into Manchuria.